Alden & Ozzie US dumps visit
(CNS): The premier will get just a few days at home this weekend when he returns from London before he heads on out again for another overseas trip. This time it is to visit a number of waste-management and recycling centres in Florida with the minister responsible for the George Town landfill. Officials said the men will be assessing modern, efficient waste management systems in the United States as part of what the wider public considers very slow progress towards addressing the island’s most pressing problem. Despite public opinion that the dump is a major priority, the premier still emphasised the need to follow process.
Premier Alden McLaughlin said government will use the processes under the Public Management and Finance Law to find a waste management solution. The processes will ensuretransparency and accountability in the tendering and procurement phases.
“While there have been previous tenders, and there are quite a few studies about this subject, the fact is that the previous iterations were not subjected to the level of research, assessment and scrutiny that the process currently requires,” he said.
As a result McLaughlin and Minister Osbourne Bodden will travel to Tampa next week to visit various relevant facilities in Florida.
One of the first stages in the procurement process is the drafting of a Strategic Outline Case document that will form the basis of an RFP for consultancy services for the delivery of an Outline Business Case. A local steering committee has been working on the SOC and hopes to have it finalised for Cabinet’s approval in the next few weeks. Once approved by Cabinet, it will be released to the public, officials said.
Bodden said he was pleased with the progress the steering committee is making on the procurement process. He also pointed to improvements that the environmental health team has made at the George Town landfill.
“I want to assure the concerned members of the public that we are not waiting on the procurement process to make improvements; we are also working hard to identify and implement interim measures to help improve the situation,” the minister said.
Steps taken to date include the removal of scrap metal through a CTC-tendered contract, the lease of essential equipment to improve operations at the landfill, enhanced fire safety measures, the procurement of much-needed equipment to replace existing non-functioning equipment that is beyond its depreciated life-span, and covering additional surface area of the landfill with soil cover.
According to the premier’s office, the men will start their waste management tour on Monday at the Lee County Solid Waste Resource Recovery Facility, which operates as Covanta Lee Inc. in Fort Meyers, Florida. The facility processes 1,836 tonnes-per-day of solid waste, while generating up to 57.3 megawatts of clean, renewable energy, of which 50 megawatts is sold to Seminole Electric Cooperative.
As a comparison, the Cayman Islands generates approximately 85,345 tonnes of waste in a year or 233 tonnes-per-day.
“This facility in Lee County serves two counties and is considered Florida’s number one facility and model. I am looking forward with great anticipation to learn a lot and see what we can look forward to here in just a couple of years. Cayman deserves no less,” said Bodden.
The facility uses secondary sewage treatment run-off from a nearby county owned treatment plant for the majority of its process water. It is also equipped with steel, tin and copper recovery systems to remove all metals from the residue.
Covanta Lee also has a recycling facility and a public drop-off centre adjacent to the facility, where residents take non-hazardous household items and yard waste for disposal.
The premier and minister are also scheduled to visit waste management facilities in Lake and Hillsborough counties. The Lake County Facility processes 528 tonnes-per-day using two 264-tonnes-per-day water wall furnaces.
Travelling with the premier and minister will be the chief officer for the ministry with responsibility for waste, Jennifer Ahearn, who is also the chair of the Integrated Solid Waste Management System Steering Committee, and the Environmental Health Director Roydell Carter.
The delegation returns to Grand Cayman on Thursday, 3 April.
Category: Politics
They remind me of the Lone Ranger & Tonto theme song..
"To da dump,To da dump,To da dump,To da dump,To da dump,To da dump, dump, dump…"
Okay, now that the field trip is over, when can we expect a report on their findings?
Why is it that our journalists refer to our Ministers in nicknames but refer to other countries politions with proper titles & names???????? Headlines or not, it should not matter.
By the way, since some folks still seem to think that the country should have accepted the Dart proposal and not be investigating anything better, I would like to suggest to CNS that you re-examine the proposal and publish a new article of what exactly was going to be provided and exactly what the country would have to finance, construct & operate.
If it is possible to get a 3rd party to construct & operate a facility that seperates and destroys waste which could lead to minimal landfill, is it not worth investigating?
CNS: We have published numerous articles about the Dart proposal. You may find the search function useful.
I have, but just seems that some readers need the facts restated: free piece of land with 3 or 4 holes, with one hole lined to accept waste. That's it as I recall. All of the other facilities would need to be built by the country, i.e. all of the nice items shown on the plans that were published.
Alden and Ossie know that the best option for the nation is not the best option for their political careers and that is why they are looking for a second best alternative.
Why aren't the UK government involved in this? They have an fairly well documented commitment in all OTs to provide support for environmental issues including the damage this mouldering pile of trash is doing.
Because you were given the adult responsibility of voting these people in, therefore they have been entrusted and commissioned to deliver this to the public ….. maybe.
It is a problem created by Cayman, not the UK. It was a problem before the election, the election before that etc.
Just how many governments does it take to fix a dump?
The PPM would want a few of "at large" dumps, roaming all districts and answering to no one and talking trash all the time.
The only politically acceptable solution is a dump in each district and for each district.
One man one dump!!
all i know is that by next election the dump situation must be fixed or this party will lose my vote as the udp in the last election.
the dump has been a problem for years and everyone we put in leaves it for the next team to fix-same with the airport and cruise port.
Why wait until then? If they are not performing then get them out. Do not wait on the next election.
Then what put the UDP back in?
They should have fixed the problem on their own watch.
In any country, the electorate get the government they deserve.
They did the same as every one else. Stall, kill time, for every new day without a decision made is worth two from the pension pot. Major decisions or discussions, find an excuse. Make it to a new month and there is even more in the trough. Tend to your own business in between and now it's golden time. New developments and investments are all gauged to see what can be made out of it.
The only difference is the name.
When will this country see beyond district loyality and work together for the betterment of the country in general?
What good is that for the people of Bodden Town?
If the dump goes to Bodden town wouldn't the professional golfers and dr. Shetty's patients see the new mount trashmore?
Any new dump would need to be managed professionally not like the one in George Town. It would need to recycle and remove any toxins from the land fill.
Surely, these guys have a numbet of specialist reports sitting in storage somewhere, which millions were spent. No need to goaway, just read these.. Or go onto youtube..lol
We kno the solutio, build the waste management facility in BT, that simple. Chat to Dart again..
Probem sorted….
OH forgo the B Ozz doesnt want it in BT, well guess what sir, if you were only a back bencher, representing only BT then you could argue tha fact..but guess what you are not and when you decided to become this minster you became rep for the entire island!!!!!!!!
"…reports sitting in storage somewhere…"
That "somewhere" is Mount Trashmore.
Do you really believe that moving the dump to BT would solve the problem? Really? Or would it just move the problem to a slightly less visible (for some people's) view?
There are serious risks associated with moving Trashmore, as opposed to in situ mitigation. Moving it to two open lined pits is no solution at all, and only a benefit to the adjacent land owner.
No one is moving anything. They would simply close, cap and remediate the GT landfil and then create new, modern solid waste facility somewhere else. It's done all the time all over the world – except Cayman, where people think they're actually going to move the trash in George Town to another place.
…"and then create new, modern solid waste facility somewhere else". That was never a part of Dart's proposal. He was simply donating some land with some holes in the ground, one with a liner. That's it.
The FIRST thing that needs to be done about the dump is to put someone in charge who is qualified and experienced in this position. This calls for someone from overseas obviously XXXX. This person could then implement waste management that could accommodate recycling in every home which must become law and be enforced. We also need to find countries that will accept our recyclables and get that ball rolling.The landfill is sufficient to accommodate the waste generated in Cayman but we need someone there who knows what they are doing….not politicians going overseas AGAIN and WASTING more money. SHAME
Agreed put the new dump in Bodden Town. Right next to the Mastic trail. Somewhere to the east of it. We are guaranteed that there will be no more fires. There will only be college grads working there from now on ." Git er done"
Boy Ossie, they killing ya boy! Can’t please everybody. You are in charge, don’t pay attention to the negativity and propaganda. The people of Bodden chose YOU. That’s all you need to remember. I am sure your honesty and integrity will drive you to make the right decisions. People expect miracles from you and they expect it overnight. Trust me, if another person had “all the answers” and started actioning them, people would still have something to say.
Errr, he is supposed to work for the people of the Cayman Islands not just Bodden town. And another thing this has gone way past overnight.
That's right Ozzie for Bodden Town, screw the rest of Cayman..Now that's a hell of a Campaign slogan.
More like the "PEOPLE POSTPONED MOVEMENT"
Get rid of the party system!
Sure thang mista I support who I really don't support Mr. C4C.
Hope you guys take your golf clubs as if memory serves me wasnt all this done maybe twice over by past Govt ministers?what an absolute waste of money time and Lord knows what else.Put the kids from the high schools back in the House.
Well, the Koran says that when wicked people rule, the people are in tears.
That is why all over the Islamic world people are in tears.
And you're a fart smeller……or could that be, a smart feller?
Do the math buddy!
1,836 tonnes per day – Lee County Sold Waste Recovery Facility
233 tonnes per day – Grand Cayman
Also Lee County's waste is not sitting in salt water.
Lee County's waste is dry.
Mount Trashmore is wet – VERY WET
This is like chalk and cheese. No comparison whatsoever.
Might as well have gone to the beach or the bar for a beer or two, would be more productive, maybe!
The dump was relatively dry up until DEH pushed the garbage into the "lake" post Ivan. For those who think our dump is a source of fuel for WTE, think again. Wet waste biodegrades faster and together with our ambient temperatures and fires there is simply no significant energy value left in that mound. Even if it is proposed to mine the dump the energy input required to burn anything of significant calorific value, save tyres would soon prove to be unsustainable, not to mention the risk of unearthing something very hazardous.
Going forward there are WTE technologies that are scalable and might very well accommodate Cayman's existing and future waste but they get more costly/ton when scaled down and waste streams are commingled.
Not saying we can't find a solution, but it first starts by looking in the right place.
On the job training!!! Sounds like Ozzie needs to go and, excuse the pun, kick the tires!!!
Seriously, whith all the past reports and submission surely the Minister is up to date with current practices and technologies. That's why he was put in this Cabinet position in the first place – right?? Perhaps, not. Perhaps we have to go through the same cycle of re-educating politicans to understand basic simple cost analysis practic that business leaders know and understand. When a report as thick as your arm, not one of the most respected consulting groups in the country is put before you. With legions of research and understanding coming together to give an educated real world solution – what do you do??? Accept it OR think that you know better and go to Florida to look at a couple of waste piles, that might not even be close to our environmental needs here in Cayman. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wrong, he was put there to keep Bodden Town dump free, nothing more nothing less..
The Minister of Rubbish is taking the Premier of NO OMOV/SMCs and NO Minimum Wage "despite what we promised" on a tour of something he can relate well to…….more rubbish !!! And yes Ossie pick up those parts for your Raptour and Boston Whaler while you're there. Sobe here we come Bo Bo !!!
With the amount of traveling these guys do they certainly should get a plane similar to Air Force 1 and also a bunker way up in east end so when the market crashes, our precious politicians are safely tucked away so they can debate the best way forward to save man kind.
My head is reeling fromthe cr– which has been posted regarding Mount Trashmore. If the first Premier had not promised it to Dart, because the Dart Brothers purchsed land by our landfill, these discussions would not be going on. XXXXX This reminds me of the old saying, "When money talks, bulls— walks".
Who know that getting elected in Cayman got you a spot on The Amazing Race.
Is that the same as the Whacky Races? So which one is Dick Dastardly?
Unfortunately not an elimination leg.
I say let's just burn down the whole thing! Burn it all!
Joey Ebanks can help with that, he has a plan.
Move the dump to Bodden Town!!
How about move the dump to right where it is, in your back yard. Sound good to you? Put that in your BBQ and smoke it!
Why are you all surprised??? From the minute Ozzie said he needed 1m dollars and 2 years before he could start ya'll should have known he was not joking. In other words he needs 1m dollars to squander traveling around the US and visit dumps for 2 years with the premier and who ever else he decides on carrying from the board. Then when the time or money is finished, which i can gurantee the money will finish first. There will be incompetent politicians on the news with more smoke and mirrors insulting the intelligence of the ones that know better. What these bafoons are doing has been done already by the previous government and all information is attainable on island. The best solution for the dump has been identified years ago. If the PPM BT politicians did not misinform the people of the district and if the people of that district would not be so gullible we would have been a great step ahead. The picture painted in the minds of these ignorant Boddentowners, from the way i hear them talking, is that all the garbabge would be trucked to bodden town and just left there. Really?! How retarded would it be to start another landfill? The fact of the matter remains that Ozzie cannot do anything at the currrent site. There is no space to even sort the trash to start recycling. If the bodden town WTE plant was openned, the trash could be trucked, sorted and recycled. There obviously would not be a Mt Trashmore or anything to the likes of it. Wake up people! Dont be fooled by this government that is even more money hungry than the last one. Bodden Towners educate your selves so you can make and educated desicion for your self. All the quarries in BT are doing more damage than a WTE facility will ever do in Bodden Town. Not even the health Minister Ozzie Bodden can give a logical explanation as to why it would be bad for the country, not just Bodden Town if the WTE facility went there other than "we dont want it in Bodden Town" and his interest in being re-elected. Obviously Ozzie does not have the country's best interest at mind. THEY ALL HAVE $$$MONEY$$$ on their minds.
I thought he setup a commitee of experts to come up with a solution, why is he and Alden going on a tour of dumps. And didn't they already do this. Oh an yeah we all know that waste to energy is the answer but what we don't know is how we're going to pay for it. OK go view these dumps and comeback saying this is what we need and should do , then tell us where the money is going to come from..
I say let it burn, then the problem is solved lol
This is exactly what Arden and his team are supposed to have done during the prevous PPM administration. Why did they never use the material gathered then?
"Why did they never use the material gathered then?"
The "material" ended up in Mount Trashmore.
Yup, in July 2006 Arden headed a delegation of a least a dozen who went to Massachusetts to check out wasteto energy. Seems like that trip involved plenty of waste but not much energy.
Proverbs 29:2
King James Version (KJV)
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
Sounds like an awful lot of mourning going on.
WHO'S mourning? those that elected them????
Caymanians wak-up, stop taking these suckers' money for votes! Stop believing the lies!
But hey, after they done this time with us we won't need to worry about the next election for the damage will be done and irrevocable.
Thats for sure 15: 57
This should teach you all a lesson that you cant vote for friends, your family friends. You cant vote for Mr. nice guy. Take your time and ask them how they will implement these manifesto and if they cant, then leave them where they at.
Hopefully Ozzie will change his opinion of what recycling looks like. To mandatory residential recycling by every business and residence in the country, including paper, plastic, glass and aluminum.
His previous view of recycling is inadequate in my opinion.
Wonder who the 'unofficial members' of the delgation are.
Where are you quoting that from?
And Ozzie fiddled while the landfill burned.
MY MY MY….Racking up the precious miles i see!
Dem say you want to know me come live with me. Now ya know people for the second time you have tasted their honey sour sweet yow it has now sowered ya sour.
Really? Do we not already know what the answer is? Recycling, containment, maybe making clean fuel from waste to burn in a clean power generation unit and reduce our ridiculous bills? How many years has this farce been going on? From the real world we really must look like a complete banana republic.
Whaddaya mean, "we look like a banana republic"? We ARE a banana republic. We just don't have many bananas!
My bad 13.35..I was trying to be polite.
This same goverment did everything possible to get Caymanians to turn on Mckeeva for his trips and spending however, it looks like they have been travel much more than the last government.
Its all a joke. and it was a trick played by PPM to get Caymanians to put them in office.
I'm no Mckeeva fan our PPM because they all are a bunch of cowards.
Every four years its the same thing… UDP then PPM then UDP then PPM.
I say crap crap crap then more crap.
I will ask my 10 year old son if he wants to run in the next election.
I've been saying this for years and I've just passed my30th birthday…..I have no confidence in anyone to vote for anymore. It's always the same outcome. We are in a very bad situation to say the least.
You see that on your 30th birthday? Im happy that you all begining to open your eyes and stop voting for these con-artist.
Next voting day God's willing im going fishing.
It is useless trusting these immature….dont care people to rule our country. We either take to the streets when we want something as serious as a waste facility.
We should have protested in front of the LA building until they break and do what the people want them to do. We cannot wait every 4 years to change names anymore.
Not voting isn't the answer, voting for the right people is..
And just who are the right people??you all are the right people until you get your ass in that seat.
I have a friend that is so upset that the people wouldnt choose him far their leader. He is so self centred, selfish and secretive, he won't even tell you good morning!
I have come to the conclusion that we havent mature to that point to run a country. Coming from the back ground of a fishing village, just 40 years ago, doesnt help the situation.
As soon as the cowards stand up and abolish the party system we will win back our Cayman. This was always going to be the great divide, the death knell for Cayman. Please… Please… Please… Grow some old fashioned spherical objects and reject the party system that is KILLING Cayman…
or suck it up… Your call…
The part system is only as bad as it leaders and members..
Well lets follow due process quickly – otherwise by the time you are ready to do something the elections will be here again and we all know what that means!
Sounds like another waste of time and money, why do they need to touch and feel the facility ? Google it for Christ sakes. And why is Ossie taking the Premier? He is just going to be ignoring people and on his blackberry as usual! Tell him to acknowledge the last 10 text messages and email messages I have sent him and stop asking Kenneth to return my calls, I am not looking for hand-outs I am actually trying to help.
Two clowns on walkabout
Looks like Alden doesn't trust Ozzie as rubbish minister so he's tagging along for a boys trip ROFLOL
Dear PPM
Read all the reports on the GT landfill produced over the years and use the information to draft the business case before you waste more time and money flying about pretending to address the dump issues.
I am very familiar with the WTE plants in Florida and many other states That said I am sure the visitors to those facilities will be told that the taxpayer pays to run them and that the energy produced is just an offset of the cost. In Cayman all that expense is not needed I would suggest that there time be better spent in Aruba and understand how they are taking care of there garbage.
The problem as I see it is that a low cost approach will not satisfy the desire to pump lots of money into the local economy on the backs of the taxpayer.
That said I am in the waste business and it is well known that I could solve the problems with a few other experts that reside here.
That you, Bo?
More free air miles for Lil Mc and Ozzie on another junket
Let the jollies begin and the good times roll. (All on the people’s dime)
Has Alden actually DONE anything yet? More noise. Zero action. Yawn….
Yes!! He broke his promise on OMOV.
Don't forget the National Self Conservation Law…
I hope they go away for a cure for the dump & not for free travel on our $$$!
And correction to Arden. That should have said OBVIOUSLY ALDEN DISAGREES. Sorry about that sir. And nuff respect to Mr McLean for fighting for us Caymanians. East Enders have always been the hardest working people and the toughest.
Now I hope all these PPM trips silences the haters who thought Mckeevawas going places unnecessarily. Obviously Arden disagrees.
There is no comparison at all between these trips and McKeeva's excursions travelling first class with entourage to far flung destinations with no clear purpose or accomplishment for Cayman (except that it be near a gambling casino). Check out the relative air miles and costs of travel. But of course Kool Aid drinkers like you will try to confuse the issue.
11;10
You are no defferent from the Makeeva cool aid drinkers . Pot cursing the kettle if you ask me!
You just dont like Makeeva so you support PPM, I can understand that, but you should shut your mouth at this time, because the populance does not agree with your rass chat, they do not agree with the positions your leaders are taking.
For Christ sake man, look at the comments on this thread and tell me you're not a hypocrite!
What was that song Sparrow sang? "50 million french men cant be wrong!!!
I only care about the facts not what idiot posters on this site have to say.
This idiot is telling you the facts, but you too damn stubborn to listen… the facts is, the majority are against your leaders…look at the comments! These comments belong to the same populance that voted them in.
Whatever your emotions say, facts are stubborn things. I couldn't care less what the "populance" is saying. They are as fickle as the wind. And the majority can't be wrong how do you explain them swinging back and forth between PPM and UDP? What an idiot.
You calling me an idiot wont help ease the pain you going through…my friend. I do not take politicians that serious to waste my emotions on.
Mabe you dont understand what i meant by the populance? these are the voters that voted in thePPM, they won by the majority….the populance. Have a good day!
"Populance" is not a word. And yes, you are an idiot.
Mackeeva traveled a lot yes, but he also produced results. Everyone before him also travelledfirst class including Alden, it’s good that the first class travel stopped but don’t make it seem like Alden had a choice or that he wasn’t guilty of it as well. People seem to forget the financial mess the PPM left us in that Bush had to deal with and still made things happen like the new Highway to West Bay which no matter what people say is way better then West Bay Road, He’s also got huge hotel projects going like the new Kimpton Dart is building as well as the Shetty Hospital and if it hadn’t been for the PPM the GT Dump clean up and new facility construction would have been in the works and probably nearly finished. Another thing about Bush is that he also stuck to his word whether people liked it or not and that is the sign of a good leader. I’m still waiting to see where the court cases go, which I am actually starting to believe have no merit. Your Alden on the other hand spent the last 4 years focused on only Bush bashing not once offering any realistic options for any of Caymans Issues, he basically got into office based on a campaign of Bush bashing, almost losing to the C4C until he sold his soul to Bodden Town at the expense of everyone else on the island by jumping on the No Dump in BT movement and soliciting Ozzie into his wicked fold.
ROTFLMAO! What results did he produce exactly? I am dying to hear.I can tell you about a lot of failures. If he had not been so busy trying to get something for himself we would have new cruise piers by now. And what did McKeeva do about the dump? Nothing. Good leader? On which planet? Roll on September.
Cabinet reshuffle please.
Ozzie is as impressive as Tara.
Very high compliment for Ozzie.
Yeah Ozzie, we need to get the waste management facility in B Town right.
close that stinking dump!
WHAT A LOAD OF BS AND WASTE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
How much studies is this no use Government going to set up. This is blatant disregards for public funds and I charge that this is the worst Government we have ever had. All they do is talk rubbish about studies whilst the economy is for sh*t and people are starving to death. But enjoy this term this is the last time you all will fool us.
A George Town voter that will never vote ppm again!!!
Until the election after the next lol.
Alden: They all look good to me.
Ozzie: Me too.
Jennifer: I can’t believe I was dragged on this trip.
Alden: Can we go to Miami Cycle? I need some chamois cream.
Ozzie: As long as we stop by Maroone Ford. My Raptor needs an air filter.
Jennifer: I can’t believe I was dragged on this trip.
Alden: Uh oh. I think we lost Roydell.
Ozzie: At the last dump?
Alden: No at Dadeland.
Jennifer: I can’t believe……
And another trip for a few people to do nothing! Stop wasting public funds and get the dump sorted out now! The whole country suffers because of Ozzie and selfish Bodden Towners.
My problem with politicians gallovanting here, there and every where doing what should be done by the civil servants charged with the responsibility, is that they become nothing more than 4 year experts/idiots in this and that, with just the right amount of knowledge to screw thngs up. For Christ sake, if it is your policy to go green and find the most efficient way of doing that, then ask the Director to research it and get back to you. Once you have decided on the best course of action, then follow the process laid down in the FFR. Look at the UDP members who were flying here there and every where, even just before the election and ask yourself where are they now? What happened to the information they gathered? GONE! A complete waste of public money! And you guys, who I had much faith in are heading down the same road. I am getting really fed up with you all too.
waste of time…this has all been before…..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
To:Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 26/03/2014 – 21:27. Sleepy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,you up again.Talk about wasting time,all you do is sleep and wake up long enough to post two lines of negative stuff,then back to sleep.
Waste of money. Just get it done and stop pissing about.
wasn't this done already?
What a load of garbage.
and more garbage….s### loads of it !!